Ali Ahmadov: Azerbaijan fully ready for war - UPDATE

The provocations of Armenian armed forces on the contact line of the troops and their consequences show the full readiness of Azerbaijan for war, Deputy Chairman - Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party Ali Ahmadov told journalists on Feb.1.

"The reaction of the Armenian side confirms this," Ahmadov said.

The deputy prime minister suggests that the Armenians carry out provocations on the front line, in order to distract the Armenian people from the dissatisfaction with the internal situation in the country, to mislead them.

"I believe that Azerbaijan adequately responded to these provocations. But it is not just repelling, but also the demonstration of a sufficiently powerful military force of Azerbaijan. This shows that Azerbaijan is ready to liberate its lands from the occupation," Ahmadov said.

Recently the situation on the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops has escalated. In recent days the Armenian armed forces violated ceasefire over 1000 times.

Earlier, Armenian troops fired on the positions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in the Tartar region. A sniper killed a 36-year old officer of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, Captain Elnur Jafarov. Jafarov was posthumously awarded with a medal 'For distinguished service in the military service' of the third degree upon Defence Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov's order.

The Armenian armed forces violated the ceasefire in January when a sniper killed Lieutenant Sabuhi Azizov. Lieutenant Azizov was posthumously awarded with the medal 'For distinguished military service' of the third degree upon Defence Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov's order.

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group expressed their deep concern over continued violence on the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the OSCE Minsk Group said following a meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers Elmar Mammadyarov and Edward Nalbandian.

The Co-Chairs stressed that the recent incidents undermine negotiations and diminish the prospects for peace.

Use of force will not resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, U.S. State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf said at a press briefing.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

The infographics on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be found in the following link: http://en.trend.az/infographics_page.php?id=120

***13:10The provocations of Armenian armed forces on the contact line of the troops and their consequences show the full readiness of Azerbaijan for war, Deputy Chairman - Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party Ali Ahmadov said.